Marion County RECORD

Derelict and vacant for nearly two years, nine apartments at Homestead Affordable Housing in Marion are getting a long overdue facelift, thanks to 10 young adults who hail from across the country.
A dozen residents were relocated in Dec. 2014 when their Homestead II apartments were declared unlivable, and the property’s Holton-based management has struggled to find resources to rehabilitate them.

The Christmas light display contest, with prizes funded by the city, drew skeptic comments from a concerned citizen at Monday’s council meeting.
Council members voted Nov. 21 to sponsor a Christmas light contest instead of giving a $10 credit on customers’ electric bills for December, as has been done in some past years. The contest will award $500 to a first-place winner, $300 to a second-place winner, and $100 to a third-place winner. It was planned as an alternative to $2,500 in lost revenue if a credit were given to each customer.

A group of people who frequently drive 330th Rd. presented county commissioners with a petition Monday asking that the road be made safer.
The portion of road they are concerned with runs from K-15 to the McPherson County line.

After hearing an emotional statement from a mother whose 14-year-old daughter was the victim of aggravated indecent liberties, District Judge Michael Powers sentenced Daniel Scott Huls II, 33, Burns, to two concurrent sentences of 4 years, 11 months in prison.
The mother said she’d tried to put the things she wanted to say on paper, but realized some things she wanted to say were vindictive. The investigation into the incidents, which occurred between July 1 and Sept. 30, 2015, uncovered an additional incident that had not been reported, she said.

To understand the artistry of Kaycee Chermak of Florence, one must follow a trail that begins with with mermaids.
Mystic sea maidens were a childhood fascination that found expression in her earliest drawings.

One of the most popular quotes from playwright William Shakespeare is “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” For “Night at the Barn,” a live nativity put on by the Tabor Mennonite Youth Fellowship, not only will men and women be players, but varieties of farm animals will as well.
Various farm animals will be involved in the live nativity scene in a barn on the farm of Maynard Knepp and Carol Duerksen. Included are donkeys, sheep, goats, and even guineas and pigeons.

Three farm officials agree that the overall acreage of fall wheat is down in Marion County and may be the lowest it has ever been.
Although he could not quantify exactly how much it is down, county extension agent Rickey Roberts said the reason for the decline in wheat acreage is simple.

A Christmas shopping opportunity will be available from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday at Lincolnville Community Center. Refreshments will include a coffee bar that will provide specialty drinks for donations.
Twelve vendors or more will be on hand to offer their cash and carry wares. They will be selling a variety of items such as origami, jewelry, crochet, Tupperware, and candles.

Not everyone’s Christmas season is filled with joy and celebration.
Those dealing with death of a loved one, loss of a job, or other sorrow can find it difficult to navigate through the season.

Holiday spirit filled the air at the Florence Chamber of Commerce annual Christmas gathering Saturday.
Bennie Holtsclaw sang Christmas carols while parents and children anxiously awaited for Santa to arrive. Refreshments of hot chocolate and cookies were served.

Looked forward to for a year at a time, the Christmas season brings back memories stretching back to early childhood.
Several Marion residents, asked about their favorite Christmas memories, reflected and shared their favorites.

A committee working on economic development plans for Marion County expects to finish research, weed out the unimportant, and be ready to write a plan for moving ahead this month.
County commissioners last week voted to approve a charter presented by Chris Hernandez, chairman of the economic development committee.

Former Peabody area farmer Willard V. Harms, 87, died Friday at Hillsboro Community Hospital.
He was born Nov. 12, 1929, to Leonard and Martha (Penner) Harms in Newton. He also had a stepmother, Elizabeth. On August 17, 1956, he married Ruby Funk. Willard was a farmer and stockman and a member of Grace Hill Mennonite Church.

Fred “Fritz” Helmer, 90, Marion, died Monday at St. Luke Hospital in Marion.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Zeiner Funeral Home. Services will be at 1:30 p.m., Saturday at Eastmoor United Methodist Church in Marion. Burial will be in Marion Cemetery.

IN MEMORIAM:

Standing like a sentinel over history, a weathered, two-story, wood-frame house can be seen on a hill along US-56/77 northeast of Marion.
The shingles are gone, windowpanes shattered, and doors missing, but its rooms once were filled with the voices of parents in conversation and children at play.

Kansas Farm Service Agency has extended the deadline to submit ballots for 2016 county committee members until Tuesday.
Producers who participate in a farm program are eligible to vote.

‘Tis the season for peace on Earth, goodwill toward everyone – which may explain why, until a courageous resident finally spoke out this week, we had opted not to enter onto our public naughty-and-nice list any of the many comments we had heard about the city’s seemingly spur-of-the-moment decision to spend $900 rewarding three lucky Christmas decorators.
Jackie Hett earns her way onto our “nice” list for questioning in public what many others had been questioning in private since the city decided once again not to issue a long-standing electric rate discount for average decorators and instead award prizes of $500, $300 and $100 to a tiny handful of uber-decorators.

ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:

She lives 1,800 miles away in the state of Washington, but every Christmas season Allison Shields comes home to decorate the family’s farmhouse northeast of Lincolnville.
The 23-year-old marine biologist said she has been doing it since she was a junior high student at Centre 12 years ago.

MEMORIES:

SENIOR CENTER:

Centre Cougars opened the season with a bang Friday, defeating Central Christian of Hutchinson, 60-53. On Nov. 21, Central Christian was ranked number 1 in 1A Division II in the pre-season Kansas basketball coaches’ poll.
It was a heady victory for everyone. When the final horn sounded, coach Richard Idleman was so excited he briefly bounded onto the playing floor to greet his players. Fans were jubilant. Afterward, players mingled with the crowd and savored their praise.

The wrong set of Warriors won out Monday at the Marion Classic basketball tournament, as Marion’s boys and girls teams both lost to Berean Academy in opening round games at USD 408 Sports and Aquatic Center.
Looking to capitalize on a season-opening 35-19 win Friday at Southeast of Saline, the Lady Warriors faced off against a taller, more experienced Berean squad.

Marion High School wrestling team placed fourth Friday in their season opener at a dual tournament in Burlington.
New head coach Tyler McMichael said he was happy with the way his team wrestled despite the outcome of the tournament.

The first half of Friday’s home game Central Christian of Hutchinson went well for the Lady Cougars. They played good defense, scored well from the floor, and led 21-18 at halftime.
“I was pleased with the way we played in the first half,” coach Alan Stahlecker said. “We shot at 37.54 percent and grabbed 8 offensive boards that allowed us to get a put-back basket just before the buzzer at the end of both of the first two quarters.”

Centre lineman Brendan Bina and back Dylan Deines, both seniors, received honorable mention in a Topeka Capital Journal postseason poll.

Entries for Hoch Publishing coloring and recipe contests are due by 5 p.m. Dec. 16.
The Santa’s Christmas Coloring Contest for kids 3 to 10 must be the picture printed in the Nov. 23 edition of the Marion County Record, Hillsboro Star Journal, and Peabody Gazette-Bulletin. Copies of the picture are available at the Hoch Publishing office.

Blood drives are planned later this month in western Marion County.
Donations will be accepted from noon to 6 p.m. Dec. 23 at Hillsboro City Hall and from noon to 4 p.m. Dec. 28 at Goessel Mennonite Church.

Ballet Wichita will perform The Nutcracker at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday at McPherson Opera House.
The performance follows a little girl’s journey through a fantasy world of fairies, princes, toy soldiers, and an army of mice.